In February, when the only official currency in Bulgaria will be the euro, and consumers will want to exercise their right of withdrawal from an online purchase paid in levs in January, disputes may arise between a customer and a merchant. The founder of the online platform “We, the consumers“ Gabriela Rumenova warned about this on Bulgaria ONA AIR and gave practical advice for overcoming such cases.
“If a customer purchased a product in levs in January and decides to return it within 14 days, but the date falls in February, the merchant must refund the amount paid in euros. It should be calculated at the official exchange rate of 1.95583, with the currency conversion and rounding to be done in accordance with the formula set out in the law.“, she is categorical. Rumenova emphasized that the change in currency is not a reason for merchants to take away the right granted by law to consumers, including the right to refuse an online purchase.
“January is also a month of discounts. Often, items participating in discount campaigns are single items. If we want to replace such a product, but in the meantime the stock has run out and a new delivery at a higher price has been required, even if it is from the same series, the merchant could request that the replacement be made at the new price.“, the expert explained. But she drew attention to the fact that if the consumer has doubts about the accuracy of this statement of the trader, he can file a report with the Consumer Protection Commission, which will establish the objective circumstances through an inspection and may even rule on unfair commercial practice.
She also recommended that online purchases be made through a created profile, and not by phone, because then the traces remain and the customer will have a greater chance of protecting his rights. For example, in the case of a wrong shipment, he will be able to prove what he ordered and that what was delivered does not correspond to the sales contract.
In the studio of “Bulgaria dnes“ Gabriela Rumenova also explained that it is unlawful for the trader to deprive us of the legal warranty of the goods in the presence of a defect just because it was purchased at a discount. “However, if the goods were discounted due to a specific defect and it was announced in advance, then the customer does not have the right to file a claim specifically for this defect. But for another - maybe", explained Rumenova.
When exercising the right of withdrawal - without having to give an explanation and without there being a problem with the product, we may have to bear the courier costs of returning the goods. This depends on the conditions of the trader, but the law allows it. However, it must be clear in advance. However, in the event of a complaint due to a defect or other non-compliance with the sales contract, the trader must bear all costs for resolving the problem. Non-compliance with the sales contract is considered not only a malfunction of the product, but also an incorrectly sent item (type, model, size, etc.)